The Partisan Sort: How Liberals Became Democrats and Conservatives Became Republicans (Chicago Studies in American Politics)

As Washington elites drifted toward ideological poles over the past few decades, did ordinary Americans follow their lead? In The Partisan Sort, Matthew Levendusky reveals that we have responded to this trend—but not, for the most part, by becoming more extreme ourselves. While polarization has filtered down to a small minority of voters, it also has had the more significant effect of reconfiguring the way we sort ourselves into political parties. In a marked realignment since the 1970s—when partisan affiliation did not depend on ideology and both major parties had strong liberal and conservative factions—liberals today overwhelmingly identify with Democrats, as conservatives do with Republicans. This “sorting,” Levendusky contends, results directly from the increasingly polarized terms in which political leaders define their parties. Exploring its far-reaching implications for the American political landscape, he demonstrates that sorting makes voters more loyally partisan, allowing campaigns to focus more attention on mobilizing committed supporters. Ultimately, Levendusky concludes, this new link between party and ideology represents a sea change in American politics. As Washington elites drifted toward ideological poles over the past few decades, did ordinary Americans follow their lead? In The Partisan Sort, Matthew Levendusky reveals that we have responded to this trend but not, for the most part, by becoming more extreme ourselves. While polarization has filtered down to a small minority of voters, it also has had the more significant effect of reconfiguring the way we sort ourselves into political parties. In a marked realignment since the 1970s when partisan affiliation did not depend on ideology and both major parties had strong liberal and conservative factions liberals today overwhelmingly identify with Democrats, as conservatives do with Republicans. This sorting, Levendusky contends, results directly from the increasingly polarized terms in which political leaders define their parties. Exploring its far-reaching implications for the American political landscape, he demonstrates that sorting makes voters more loyally partisan, allowing campaigns to focus more attention on mobilizing committed supporters. Ultimately, Levendusky concludes, this new link between party and ideology represents a sea change in American politics. 'the Partisan Sort' Offers A Compelling Explanation Of Why American Voters Increasingly Align Themselves With The 'correct' Political Party - Liberals With Democrats And Conservatives With Republicans - And Fruitfully Draws Out The Potential Implications Of This Development. The Transformation Of The American Electorate -- Why Voters Sort -- Have Voters Sorted? -- Testing Competing Explanations For Sorting -- Untangling The Causes Of Sorting -- How Voters Sort -- The Impact Of The Sorted. Matthew Levendusky. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents......Page 8 List of figures......Page 10 List of tables......Page 12 Acknowledgments......Page 14 1. The Transformation of the American Electorate......Page 16 2. Why Voters Sort......Page 27 3. Have Voters Sorted?......Page 53 4. Testing Competing Explanations for Sorting......Page 93 5. Untangling the Causes of Sorting......Page 112 6. How Voters Sort......Page 124 7. The Impact of the Sorted......Page 135 Appendix Data Used......Page 158 Notes......Page 166 Bibliography......Page 180 Index......Page 196